Insect Biotechnology

The book provides a fascinating overview about current and sophisticated developments in applied entomology that are powered by molecular biology and that can be summarized under a novel term: insect biotechnology. By analogy with the application of powerful molecular biological tools in medicine (red biotechnology), plant protection (green biotechnology) and industrial processing (white biotechnology), insect biotechnology (yellow biotechnology) provides novel tools and strategies for human welfare and nutrition. Insect Biotechnology has emerged as a prospering discipline with considerable economic potential, and encompasses the use of insect model organisms and insect-derived molecules in medical research as well as in modern plant protection measures.

This textbook introduces to the fundamentals and applications of insect biotechnology in a concise manner. Global economically important insects such as silkworm, lac or honey bee are in the focus of this text. The book attempts to address all of the latest developments in this growing field such as application of metagenomics and proteomics in mining for genes and enzymes that could be beneficial in diverse industrial and biomedical applications. Further, insects have been established as suitable tool for the production of transgenic products which is discussed in one dedicated chapter. The book targets students and researchers in molecular biology, biotechnology or entomology who want to get familiar with the emerging field of insect biotechnology.

This book provides an overview on the basics in insect molecular biology and presents the most recent developments in several fields such as insect genomics and proteomics, insect pathology and applications of insect derived compounds in modern research. The book aims to provide a common platform for the molecular entomologist to stimulate further research in insect molecular biology and biotechnology. Insects are one of the most versatile groups of the animal kingdom. Due to their large population sizes and adaptability since long they attract researchers’ interest as efficient resource for agricultural and biotechnological purposes. Several economically important insects such as Silkworms, Honey Bee, Lac and Drosophila or Termites were established as invertebrate model organisms. Starting with the era of genetic engineering, a broad range of molecular and genetic tools have been developed to study the molecular biology of these insects in detail and thus opened up a new horizon for multidisciplinary research. Nowadays, insect derived products are widely used in biomedical and biotechnology industries. The book targets researchers from both academia and industry, professors and graduate students working in molecular biology, biotechnology and entomology.

Insect derived enzymes – a treasure for white biotechnology and food biotechnology. Insect-derived chitinases. Cellulases from insects. Optimization of Insect Cell Based Protein Production Processes - Expression Systems, Online Monitoring, Scale-Up. Insect antenna-based biosensors for in situ detection of volatiles. Y-linked markers for improved population control of the tephritid fruit fly pest, Anastrepha suspensa. Transgenic Approaches to Western Corn Rootworm Control. Tribolium castaneum as a model for high-throughput RNAi screening. Aphid-proof plants: Biotechnology-based approaches for aphid control.

The book provides a fascinating overview about current and sophisticated developments in applied entomology that are powered by molecular biology and that can be summarized under a novel term: insect biotechnology. By analogy with the application of powerful molecular biological tools in medicine (red biotechnology), plant protection (green biotechnology) and industrial processing (white biotechnology), insect biotechnology (yellow biotechnology) provides novel tools and strategies for human welfare and nutrition. Insect Biotechnology has emerged as a prospering discipline with considerable economic potential, and encompasses the use of insect model organisms and insect-derived molecules in medical research as well as in modern plant protection measures.

Biotechnology has contribute much to the field of insect pest management so far, from side to side development of transgenic plants and other novel ecofriendly products to manage insects. Recognition of the importance and relevance of biotechnological applications in insect control is gaining momentum. There is also improved interest among scientists in developing novel strategies for insect pest management. Realizing the possible benefits and constraints in the use of biotechnology in insect pest management, a national symposium on 'Biotechnology and Insect Pest Management' was organized freshly. Deliberations during the symposium covered various aspects such as insect resistant transgenic crops, microbial pesticides - process and development, botanical pesticides - process and development, hybridization techniques in the production of potential natural enemies, insect and animal vectors of diseases and biosafety concerns, etc. Genetic engineering has been used to enhance the insecticidal efficacy of various strains of Bt by increasing virulence, extending host range, and increasing field stability, and by introducing alternative toxins to facilitate resistance management. Techniques have been developed for production by genetic means of new strains of Bt with new combinations of toxin genes. Crop varieties resistant to insects are far less common than disease-resistant varieties, because plant breeders have traditionally focused more on disease resistance. However, if they are available, resistant varieties can be an effective defense against insect pests. But even when insect-resistant cultivars are not available, some varieties may be less attractive to pest species or may tolerate more damage than others. Plant size, shape, coloration, leaf hair, cuticle thickness, and natural chemicals (attractants and repellents) can all affect pest susceptibility. Farmers can do their own breeding by collecting non-hybrid seed from healthy plants in the field. Plants well adapted to local conditions will be more likely to resist pests. This book throws new light on alternative technologies to control insect pests. Scientists from different institutions from all over world have provided various biotechnology based techniques and other means to manage insect pests.

Pest and disease management continues to challenge the agricultural community. The rise in new pest and crop problems juxtaposed with public concern over pesticide use and more stringent environmental regulations creates the need for today's agricultural producers to stay current with new technologies for producing quality crops profitably. Biological and Biotechnological Control of Insect Pests presents an overview of alternative measures to traditional pest management practices, utilizing biological control and biotechnology. The removal of some highly effective broad-spectrum chemicals, caused by concerns over environmental health and public safety, has resulted in the development of alternative, reduced risk crop protection products. These products, less toxic to the environment and easily integrated into biological control systems, target specific life stages or pest species. Predation - recognized as a suitable, long term strategy - effectively suppresses pests in biotechnological control systems. Biological and Biotechnological Control of Insect Pests covers these topics and more. It explores the current approaches in alternative solutions such as: biological control agents, parasites and predators, pathogenic microorganisms, pheromones, botanical insecticides, genetic control, genetic engineering of plants and biocontrol agents, and government regulations for biocontrol agents and recombinant DNA technology. This book will be a useful resource to entomologists, agronomists, horticulturists, and environmental scientists.

Utility of Insects for Studying Human Pathogens and Evaluating New Antimicrobial Agents, by Yan Wang, De-Dong Li, Yuan-Ying Jiang and Eleftherios Mylonakis. Galleria Mellonella as a Model Host to Study Gut Microbe Homeostasis and Brain Infection by the Human Pathogen Listeria Monocytogenes, by Krishnendu Mukherjee, Ramya Raju, Rainer Fischer and Andreas Vilcinskas. Drosophila as a Model to Study Metabolic Disorders, by Julia Hoffmann, Renja Romey, Christine Fink and Thomas Roeder. The Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster as a Model for Aging Research, by Annely Brandt and Andreas Vilcinskas. Drosophila and the Hallmarks of Cancer, by Theodoulakis Christofi and Yiorgos Apidianakis. The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum as a model to monitor food safety and functionality, by Stefanie Grünwald, Iris V. Adam, Ana-Maria Gurmai, Ludmila Bauer, Michael Boll, and Uwe Wenzel. Identification and Bioanalysis of Natural Products from Insect Symbionts and Pathogens, by Alexander O. Brachmann and Helge B. Bode. Antiparasitic Peptides, by Jette Pretzel, Franziska Mohring, Stefan Rahlfs and Katja Becker.